Labor leader
Bill Shorten
has announced the line-up of his new frontbench, describing it as “energetic and diverse".

The shadow cabinet will not exactly mirror the make-up of the cabinet, with Mr Shorten himself taking on responsibility for science, which is not given a specific role in the Tony Abbott government.

Mr Shorten said more than half of his shadow ministry were women, with more working parents than ever before. He also emphasised the youth of his team.

“There is more Gen X in this shadow line-up than has existed before in Australian politics," Mr Shorten said.

As initially revealed in the Australian Financial Review, deputy leader Tanya Plibersek will take the shadow foreign affairs portfolio with added responsibilities for international development, while Penny Wong has shifted from finance to trade and investment.

Tony Burke, the former immigration minister, will take her place in finance.

In an unexpected move right faction power broker Stephen Conroy has taken the role of shadow minister for defence, while immigration and border protection has gone to Richard Marles. Former deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has kept his old role of infrastructure and transport and added the role of tourism. Former Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus will keep his role in the shadow cabinet and Mark Butler will keep the environment and climate change portfolio.

There have been some significant promotions - Catherine King, formerly minister for regional Australia, will take the important role of health, while Kate Ellis, formerly minister for employment and early childhood, will take the role of education. Long-time Kevin Rudd loyalist Kim Carr will take higher education and industry.

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